Whether you’re a\u00a0history<\/strong> lover, or just want to know more about Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/strong> and its rich <\/strong>history, this is the read for you.<\/p>\n In the city of Jablanica<\/strong>, on the main road between Mostar<\/strong> and Sarajevo<\/strong>, you can find a unique museum<\/strong>. It is called\u00a0Museum of the Battle for the Wounded at Neretva<\/strong>\u00a0and is a reminder on one of the most famous<\/strong>\u00a0battles in\u00a0World War II. <\/strong>It was also\u00a0one of the most unlikely<\/strong> victories as well as the trickiest war maneuvers!\u00a0<\/strong>Keep reading to find more about it.<\/p>\n The battle is simply called \u201eThe Battle on the river Neretva<\/strong>\u201c. The museum is located in the center of the city, next to a blown-up bridge<\/strong>, which is a symbol<\/strong> of this battle. The bridge represents its most important exhibit<\/strong> and it is very special for people from this city. It reminds them of the heroic battle<\/strong> and the victory that they, their fathers and grandfathers, have won.<\/p>\n \u201eThe Battle on the river Neretva \u201c, also known under a German code name<\/strong> \u201eFall Weiss\u201c,\u00a0 was the strategic plan of The<\/strong> Axis forces\u00a0<\/strong>against the Yugoslav<\/strong>\u00a0partisan<\/strong> movement on today’s territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The attacks began on January 20th, 1943, and partisans were largely outnumbered in it. The Axis forces had 127 000 soldiers, strong artillery, tanks, and 15 warplanes, comparing to partisan’s 18 000 soldiers. Axis’ strong attacks started in north-western Bosnia and part of today’s Croatia, and partisans were forced to retreat. They pulled back all the way to south-east, to the river Neretva. On their way, they carried almost 4 000 wounded<\/strong> soldiers with them! That’s why this battle is often called \u201eThe most human battle in WW II<\/strong>\u201c. Even now, if you visit Jablanica, you will see the sign \u201eWe cannot leave the wounded<\/strong>\u201c, words of the president<\/strong> of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito<\/strong>.<\/p>\n After Tito’s orders, partisans destroyed<\/strong> all the bridges behind them. When everyone expected partisans will head north, and not east across Neretva, Tito ordered destroying the railway bridge<\/strong> in Jablanica. Which they did, and while the train was crossing it! That was a bold and tricky decision, which nobody expected, especially The Axis forces. They deployed all their troops up north, in the valley of river Vrbas, waiting for partisans.<\/p>\n After blowing up the bridge, a new and improvised wooden bridge<\/strong> was built in only 19 hours, and it was a salvation for partisans and the wounded, after which they headed to mountain Prenj<\/a>. You can still find a\u00a0war memorial<\/strong> on Prenj dedicated to partisans who climbed this beautiful but\u00a0cruel<\/strong> mountain. This hard battle ended on March 31st, with partisans coming out of it as winners<\/strong>. It went out in history as one of the most difficult<\/strong> battles of WWII and victories against all the odds<\/strong>.<\/p>\n On the place of the blown-up bridge, Germans built another one in August 1943. The bridge was blown up again for the purposes of making a film<\/strong> \u201eBattle at the river Neretva\u201c.\u00a0One of the most\u00a0prominent actors<\/strong> of that time starred in the film, like Yul Brynner,\u00a0 Orson Welles, Franco Nero, and others. It was nominated for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Pablo Picasso<\/a> made one of the posters,<\/strong>\u00a0making it one of the two he made in his entire career! Being a huge fan<\/strong> of Yugoslavian cinematography,<\/strong> he didn’t want to take any money, but only a case of best Yugoslav wines.<\/strong><\/p>\n The film was the most expensive<\/strong>\u00a0in ex<\/strong> Yugoslavia. It costed between 4,5 and 12 million\u00a0$, today’s equivalent of 70 million\u00a0$<\/strong>!\u00a0350 million<\/strong> people from over the world saw the film. It also had over 10 000 extras<\/strong>, slightly less than Kubrick’s \u201eSpartak<\/strong>\u201c. Impressive, isn’t it?<\/p>\n Now back to the museum<\/strong>! On the 12th of\u00a0<\/sup> November 1978, Josip Broz Tito opened it himself,\u00a0 on occasion of making the 35th<\/sup> anniversary of the battle on Neretva. Today, the overall surface of the museum is 3312 square meters<\/strong>. Inside you can find a lot of interesting things, from photos<\/strong> from that period, original<\/strong> documents, 3D objects, brigade flags<\/strong> and much more. Besides the exhibition of \u201cBattle on Neretva,\u201d you can also find exhibits of the 4th<\/sup> corps of Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina<\/strong> and Jablanica ethnic house<\/strong>. Also, in museum, you can find a city library<\/strong> with more than 10.000 books. Near the museum, you will also see a life-size replica of old locomotive series<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>73<\/b>, used in railway bridge explosion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The\u00a0blown-up bridge<\/strong>\u00a0in Jablanica still hangs from the cliffs into the turquoise<\/strong> Neretva river, as a reminder<\/strong> of great partisan’s victory. The entire memorial complex<\/strong> is proclaimed for\u00a0National monument<\/strong> of Bosnia and Herzegovina.<\/p>\n If you drive from Sarajevo to Mostar<\/a>\u00a0or the other way around, you can’t miss it. So now you know the story behind the museum and the bridge, we’re sure you’ll stop by and visit<\/strong> it, and take a glimpse of the rich history of our country. Besides the museum and history behind it, Jablanica has a lot more to offer. It has a stunning nature<\/strong> surrounding it, from beautiful mountains Prenj<\/a> and \u010cvrsnica<\/a>, green Neretva and Jablani\u010dko Lake to breathtaking Blidinje Nature Park<\/a>. But Jablanica has delicious gastronomy<\/strong> as well. We recommend you to try \u201ejagnjetina<\/strong>\u201c, a famous Jablanica roasted lamb meat. There are a lot of good restaurants<\/strong> on the main road serving it, few with a great view<\/strong> over Neretva.<\/p>\n Jablanica was famous for its lamb meat and restaurants serving it across all of the former Yugoslavia<\/strong>. Even today, it is still one of the favorite spots<\/strong> to stop by and eat for people from the region. But not only them, but many tourists also stop by here and eat as well. After trying this delicious local specialty, take a good rest, and head on with your journey through this amazing country<\/strong>!<\/p>\nThe story behind a museum – Battle on the river Neretva<\/h3>\n
One of the trickiest war maneuvers<\/h3>\n
The most expensive film ever made in Yugoslavia<\/h3>\n
Jablanica – Balkans’ most famous lamb<\/h3>\n
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